Parent visas for Australia
Bringing a parent to Australia permanently is the slowest thing in the migration system, and you deserve to hear that before you spend anything. These visas are capped and queued, so the honest conversation is about which pathway and what to do in the meantime.
At a glance
- Permanent options
- Subclass 103, and Contributory 143 and 173Plus aged parent variants for parents already onshore
- Temporary option
- Sponsored Parent (Temporary) subclass 870Up to 3 or 5 years, sponsor approval first
- The gate
- The balance of family testApplies to the permanent parent visas
- The reality
- Capped and queuedPlaces are limited each program year
- Consultation
- AUD 150 for 60 minutesCredited towards your professional fee
Parent visas
Four pathways, and they are not equivalent
The choice is really between paying substantially more for a faster permanent outcome, waiting in a much longer queue, or accepting a long temporary visa instead. Which is right depends on your parents’ ages, your family’s finances, and how much certainty you need.
Contributory Parent (143 and 173)
Permanent residence, or two years temporary first, in exchange for a significantly higher contribution. This is the faster of the permanent routes, and for most families it is the realistic one.
Parent visa (subclass 103)
The non-contributory permanent route. Far cheaper, and the queue is far longer — long enough that for older applicants it may not be a practical plan.
Sponsored Parent (Temporary) (870)
Not permanent residence, but it lets a parent stay for a long continuous period. Requires a separate sponsorship approval first, and no work is permitted.
Aged parent variants (804, 864, 884)
For parents already in Australia who are old enough to qualify as aged. Different lodgement rules, and the onshore position matters a great deal.
The common gates
What every parent visa turns on
The requirements differ by subclass, but these are the ones that decide most cases before the detail even matters.
- 01
A sponsor or assurer in Australia
Generally a settled Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen child.
- 02
The balance of family test
For the permanent parent visas, at least half your children must be living in Australia, or more of them live in Australia than in any other single country. Stepchildren and adopted children count.
- 03
Capping and queueing
A maximum number of these visas can be granted each program year. Once that is reached, remaining applications stay in the queue until a place opens in a future year.
- 04
An Assurance of Support
Required for parent visas, which involves a financial commitment and, in some cases, a bond.
- 05
Health and character
Examinations and police certificates. Health is a more common obstacle for older applicants than people expect, and it is worth understanding early.
- 06
Financial capacity for the contribution
The contributory pathways involve substantially higher charges, generally payable in stages. The Department publishes the current amounts.
How we work
What we actually do for you
You should know whether an application is viable before you spend money on it. If it is not yet, we say so and set out what would change that.
- 01
Test the balance of family first
If it fails, the permanent parent visas are closed and we should be talking about the 870 or visitor options instead. There is no point paying for anything else until this is settled.
- 02
Choose contributory or not, honestly
We set out the cost difference and the queue difference side by side, including what each means given your parents' ages.
- 03
Plan the interim
Most families need a way for parents to spend time here while a permanent application sits in the queue. That is a separate piece of advice, and it matters.
- 04
Lodge and maintain the file
Long queues mean changed circumstances — addresses, health, family composition. The file has to be kept current.
- 05
Through to the decision
We handle requests from the Department, however long the wait turns out to be.
Where it goes wrong
Why these applications fail
Refusals are rarely a surprise in hindsight. These are the patterns we see most, and all four are avoidable with advice before lodgement rather than after a decision.
Assuming the balance of family test is a formality
It is the most common hard stop. Children living overseas count, and the arithmetic is unforgiving.
Underestimating the queue
Families plan around a wait of a year or two and are shocked. Ask for the current queue position for your subclass before you commit, not after.
Health issues surfacing late
Health requirements apply and older applicants are more likely to be affected. It is better to understand the risk at the start.
Using visitor visas as a substitute for a plan
Repeated long visitor stays with no underlying strategy invite scrutiny. If the intention is for a parent to live here, say so and apply accordingly.
Fees
What we charge
General information, not personal advice. This page explains how the visa works in general terms. It is not immigration assistance for your circumstances, and reading it does not create a client relationship.
Requirements, thresholds, charges and processing priorities change. The Department of Home Affairs is the authority on current settings, and we confirm them against your case in a consultation. Reviewed August 2026.
Advice on this page is provided by a MARA-registered migration agent, MARN 1793706. In Australia only registered agents may lawfully give immigration assistance for a fee.
Migration agent consultation
60 minutes, in person or online
Full assessment of your options with customised advice. Credited towards your visa professional fee if you proceed.
AUD 150Free for Scholar Hub students
Parent Visas for Australia
Our professional fee
Document preparation, drafting and lodgement, and responses to the Department through to a decision.
On quoteAfter a consultation, fixed in writing
Our professional fees only. They exclude Department of Home Affairs visa application charges, skills assessment fees, English test fees and medical examinations.
See the full pricing page for other services.
Related pathways
Other visas we advise on
Most people are choosing between two or three of these. The immigration services page compares them side by side.
Contributory Parent
143/173The faster permanent route for parents, at a substantially higher contribution.
Parent visa
103The cheaper permanent parent visa, with a far longer queue.
Sponsored Parent
870Up to five years for a parent, no balance of family test, and no work rights.
Visitor visa
600Tourism, business or family visits for 3, 6 or 12 months. No work permitted.
Questions
What people ask
General guidance only, and policy changes. Your own circumstances are assessed in a consultation.